In a principal aspect, the present invention relates to a tool useful for disconnection of both the inlet and outlet fuel supply lines to the fuel tank of a vehicle. The disconnect tool may be used in other environments, however, to disconnect fluid transport lines of the type which utilize a biased locking cylinder lock for engagement with a fitting compatible with the tube or line.
Various modern vehicles utilize fluid transfer lines which incorporate a cylindrical fitting at the end of the line capable of engaging and locking into a fitting. For example, the fuel lines of General Motors vehicles utilize a fuel module which includes an inlet line and an outlet line. Each line includes a cylindrical locking member which is biased in a longitudinal direction so as to lock against a fitting. To remove the fuel line from a fuel module fitting, it is necessary to push the cylindrical locking member against the biasing force. Once positioned in a release position, the cylinder lock no longer engages the fitting and the fuel line may be removed from the fitting. Various other motor vehicles utilize such fitting constructions.
Heretofore, there have been made available certain tools for the removal of such lines from fittings. For example, Snap-On Tools provides a fuel line disconnect tool set, Model YA9457 for such use. The described tool is in the form of a pliers which include elements at the distal or outer ends of the arms of the pliers. These elements may be positioned to engage the locking members to effect their disengagement from a fuel module.
Nonetheless, there has remained the need to provide a simple and inexpensive tool to disconnect fuel lines from fuel modules, particularly those associated with General Motors vehicles, but also for other vehicles and other instances where such lines are to be disconnected from a fitting. Such a tool, desirably, must be useable in a number of environments where access to the connection assembly is limited. These among other needs led to the development of the present tool.